“Staircase At The University” made Entertainment Weekly’s top 10 this week

It's one of the great ironies of the album and a particularly Morrissey thing methinks that some of the most joyous vocal parts are when he sings particularly sad or scary lines. Like the chorus of Scandinavia, for instance, or the way he sings "And her head split three waaaaaaaays!".
It makes my heart sing until I realise what he's singing...

 

[Agharta]

For me the whistle represents "blowing the whistle" on the scam that is a higher education. The student didn't need to kill herself over grades because careers are passed out through nepotism, not on the basis of honors degrees. (That's something her professors most likely neglected to mention.) The same people making her feel inadequate (sweet daddy, lovely boyfriend) were probably the same ones who could help get her hired (jobs are passed out via sexism as well.)

I must admit I never heard the term chockablock before hearing this song. LOL.

What' are you going on about? Where does it say what subject she is studying or why she threw herself down the stairs? Where does your idea of nepotism and sexism come from regarding this person's choices?

What a naive interpretation of how employers recruit graduates.

Morrissey might have a twisted view of academia and education - most showbiz performers do because they were shit at school - bit that doesn't make them automatically correct. There could be a perfectly great, nuanced song about the pressures put on young people to succeed, but this is not it it's as comic strip bonkers as First Of The Gang.

 

[Anonymous]

Staircase reminds me of Dear Prudence...like they're both singing to or about the same girl who isn't cooperating with them. They're channeling the same muse, so to speak.

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play

Dear Prudence open up your eyes
Dear Prudence see the sunny skies
The wind is low the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence won't you open up your eyes?

Look around round round
Look around round round
Oh look around

Dear Prudence let me see you smile
Dear Prudence like a little child
The clouds will be a daisy chain
So let me see you smile again
Dear Prudence won't you let me see you smile?

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play

Not sure about that at all. 'Dear Prudence' was written by John Lennon when the Beatles were staying at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in India. People there slept in little bungalows and 'Dear Prudence' was written about a girl who stayed in her bungalow all day. He wrote 'Bungalow Bill' around the same time. John had a flare for making simple everyday little events into widly creative lyrics. I suppose both songs are about sad girls but there I think the similarity ends - Moz takes his song in a very different direction.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

[Anonymous]

Whoopie Doo, the albums shit how many times do I have to tell you's, 3 of the singles never made the uk top 100, TTY posts istanbul is top of the German college charts ffs, doesn't that say it all. It's shite shite double shite

It's a stinker ain't it?

 

[Anonymous]

It's the new "First of The Gang To Die."

 

[Agharta]

It's the new "First of The Gang To Die."

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

Unfortunately, yes.

One persons trash is another persons treasure.

 

[Craig Bannon]

I don't think anything Moz does these days will ever match 'Mute Witness' or 'Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye' to be honest!

 

[Anonymous]

love mute witness, harsh truth i sometimes skip. even if i dont like the song that much the guitar break in the middle is so awesome it tops both for me for that alone. i really really hope he sticks around. cant see it as blowing the whistle on higher education as im a fan of it but thats here and not there so its hard to speak to it i guess but i still just cant see that interpretation at all. people hire those who can accomplish something for them because thats how they get ahead themselves. they use them and they are willing used. thats the point

 

[CrystalGeezer]

I guess I'll save the lecture about the foreshadowing of #9 for another crowd.

 

[Anonymous]

so weve discussed the whistle but does anyone want to talk about the scroll saw sound at the end. people talk about it being a downer of a song but to me i think it a cast being removed now that her heads mended and the pressure/swelling has deflated. maybe it all has a happy ending for her since maybe the completion or at least pressure of competition is ove for herr. maybe she no longer cares now that her demons spilled all over the staircase and no longer inside her. the last lines a stretch for sure but i think the rest true.

 

[Agharta]

so weve discussed the whistle but does anyone want to talk about the scroll saw sound at the end. people talk about it being a downer of a song but to me i think it a cast being removed now that her heads mended and the pressure/swelling has deflated. maybe it all has a happy ending for her since maybe the completion or at least pressure of competition is ove for herr. maybe she no longer cares now that her demons spilled all over the staircase and no longer inside her. the last lines a stretch for sure but i think the rest true.

Yes, and when they put her head back together, she was suddenly able to play concert level piano and remember really obscure statistics like Rain Man.

 

[Rodjeure]

Staircase is one of my favorite Moz songs of all time. Should have been the first single. It will make a great karaoke song. It is almost an anthem. Sing it. The horns make you feel you are in a marching band. Yes sing it loud and march around the house and be sure to whistle at the 1:02 mark.

And for all you haters, go blow it out your arse!

YES YES YES best single of the album " Three A's " and " Three ways" its brilliant
And I love Kick the Bride donw the Aisle too , I imagine the Moz at a wedding standing when the audience is asked, sing that , damn they won't get married for sure

 

[Orson Swells]

I don't think anything Moz does these days will ever match 'Mute Witness' or 'Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye' to be honest!

Harsh Truth... is probably the worst song he's written and officially released.

 

[A none E mouse]

Harsh Truth... is probably the worst song he's written and officially released.

I can name 18 tracks on world peace that are all worse..

 

[Agharta]

YES YES YES best single of the album " Three A's " and " Three ways" its brilliant
And I love Kick the Bride donw the Aisle too , I imagine the Moz at a wedding standing when the audience is asked, sing that , damn they won't get married for sure

So, they have internet access in the asylum?

 

[Anonymous]

I can name 18 tracks on world peace that are all worse..

The Mouse That Bored.

 

[Orson Swells]

I can name 18 tracks on world peace that are all worse..

... and you'd be entirely wrong. There's subjectivity, of course, and then there's madness. And then there's you.

 

[A none E mouse]

... and you'd be entirely wrong. There's subjectivity, of course, and then there's madness. And then there's you.

You shouldn't really use 'and' to start a sentence.

 

[Peterb]

... and you'd be entirely wrong. There's subjectivity, of course, and then there's madness. And then there's you.

I'm pleased that you like the album Orson.
Liking the album is not a point to argue about with those that don't like it but I have to admit to some suprise.
If you like Moz anyway, what is there not to like on the new album?